Baghdad calls shots on IS positions, not Coalition: Spokesperson

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The US-led coalition stands by the federal government of Iraq and conducts artillery and air strikes on the Islamic State (IS) positions requested by the Iraqi military commanders, said the coalition spokesperson on Friday.

During a live interview with Kurdistan24 from Baghdad, the US-led coalition spokesperson Ryan Dillon said there are some remaining IS pockets in Old Mosul City, stating the Coalition would continue to support Iraqi forces to defeat the IS in Mosul and elsewhere in the country.

He mentioned that the coalition has always been standing by the Iraqi government troops. “We don’t call the shots as the coalition, the government of Iraq calls the shots, and they decide where to go and where to defeat the [IS] next.”

Dillon added that it is the Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi and his top military commanders that make decisions, emphasizing the coalition would continue to support them with its military advisers to train Iraqi forces.

He stated no matter how many IS militants are left in Mosul, they would be defeated, and the complete liberation of Mosul would be announced soon.

Dillon clarified that about 50,000 civilians remain trapped inside the area under the jihadists' control.

He also noted that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are attacking IS in Raqqa from four axes of approach.

Dillon added that the SDF on Friday morning in the south of Euphrates river completely isolated IS fighters that remain in Raqqa, not allowing them to leave, noting that the coalition's support to the SDF would continue.

The spokesperson denied the rumors about increasing the number of the US soldiers in Syria, saying there are about 500 US troops in the northern part of the country.

Editing by Ava Homa